Tuck and Roll
by Arisa K
Summary: Reno shows Rude just how much he cares.


** Tuck and Roll **

It was a night almost like any other night; Rude sat with a mild hunch forward, hovering over his beer like he was protecting it from malicious intent. Despite the darkness that loomed within the dimly lit bar, he kept his shades in place; propped pristinely upon his nose and the stems hooked delicately at his ears. Rude didn't feel he needed to always rely on sight, as there were other senses to one could rely on. Besides-the shades made him look cool.

A finger trailed over the perspiration of the bottle as he waited patiently for his fellow Turk to return from the facilities. He couldn't tell if he was in there doing his business, upchucking, or was distracted by one from the feminine species. What he did know was he was taking a tick longer than usual. His disappearance however, paved the way to unexpected company.

A dark haired woman oozing with feminine charm sat beside him. Her long hair was gathered over her shoulder as she peered at Rude as if attempting to see through to the inner workings of his anatomy. Her eyes were a deep emerald green, but lit with a charismatic grin that graced her painted cherry thin lips. The body she carried was top heavy, slender in most all other places, her legs crossed and shaven. The mini skirt she wore left little to the imagination and the purple halter top that hugged her bust seemed as if her breasts were held captive against their will while screaming for mercy. Her overall look was a bit risqué, but the memory of another couldn't help but assault him.

Tifa Lockheart.

An old crush he'd never forget. He wasn't in love with her, nor did he even really think of her so much as perhaps a passing thought to a crush mostly forgotten. But as a rule, the Turk's taste tended to gravitate toward the chesty and dark haired beauties of the world. This woman, though discharging a little more sexuality than he was sure he could handle, felt up to the challenge.

"A Turk, huh?" she asked in a sultry voice laced with alluring magnetism. She was trying to hook him in, and Rude was quite aware of the attempt. She was wasting her time with her womanly wiles-he was already hooked.

His expression was mostly blank as he cut a glance her way. Mysterious as ever, but there was a quiver of a grin beginning at the corners of his lips. He wasn't one to openly flirt, and was mostly the shy sort. This night however, he'd had enough alcohol run through him to loosen up his mostly stoic nature, "Yeah."

The woman's dark eyes lidded as her stare bored into him like she was trying to communicate with him wordlessly. Her expression said it all, no further words required. They were just playing a game now, waiting to see which of the pair would crack first, give in with words of their carnal desires. She reached across the counter to gingerly stroke his arm through the material of his uniform. She wasn't playing fair.

He kept his eyes locked to her attentions, his lower anatomy aware of his ministrations while he took a swig from his beer. She was certainly a distracting force, making him forget about Ren--

"GOD DAMMIT, MAN !" said man bellowed as he all but charged from the restroom. His eyes were glassy from the liquor he'd consumed, a slight stumble in his steps as he made his way back to his friend. His hair was damp and disheveled; his suit likewise. He looked like he fell in the toilet. The man being dragged by him by his limp arms looked like he'd been hit by a car, "Some punk tried to start some shit with me. Imagine that. Said I was in his urinal space or some ridiculous crap like that. The guy was actin' like a serious homophobe or something--Heellloooooo nurse…"

Reno immediately forgot about his story as he laid on the charm toward the woman beside his wingman that was completely honed in on his presence with a wide smile, and very promiscuous air that suddenly crackled and sparked. Her hand had dropped away from Rude's arm to land in her lap as her penetrating gaze burned through him to the core.

The blank expression returned upon Rude's visage, but within he was disgruntled and sorely disappointed. From the moment Reno stormed from the facilities he knew the attention would shift from himself to his longtime comrade. Reno was the rough edge, the bad boy, the excitement a woman like the one by his side craved for. While he accepted instant defeat, it didn't mean he was all right with it.

It pissed him off.

The redhead didn't even seem to notice his friends' discomfort as he saddled up beside the dark haired vixen on the other side. He leaned upon his elbow at the counter as he lazily gazed at her with such open lust that it was making Rude want to squirm in his stool. The woman seemed open to his level of flirtation, practically drooling over herself at the sight of him.

"You're Reno , the Turk, aren't you?"

So that was it. She knew who he was; perhaps a fan, fanatic, or even a stalker. Either way, Rude couldn't care less. He completely tuned out the nausea inducing conversation at his right while lifting a free hand to the bartender to close his tab. He was done, and knew where the rest of the night was going to end up taking him. His mood was dark and irritable, wishing he was home in his bed with the covers at his feet, porn on the television, and his hand giving much needed relief to a part of his body that received little attention. He wasn't like his fellow Turk, able to take a random girl home almost every night and able to cast them out without a second thought to the act. As a Turk, it was a mistake to become too close to anyone outside the organization lest they be targeted as a weakness. Still, he craved some semblance of normalcy, a woman he could go home to every night, receive a kiss in greeting and be welcomed with open arms. In his line of work however, he knew this was not a possibility.

The tab was closed, and the fate of the female was sealed. She'd be riding with them, where Rude would drop his best friend and new conquest at his respective pad, and he'd be going home alone. As long as he was able to continue to block their conversation laden with sexual innuendos and late night promises, he might be able to keep the alcohol from spewing forth in disgust.

That night was different from the other nights. Most nights Reno 's whims were easily tolerable. Most nights he had no problem with this routine. That night unfortunately seemed to have him irked beyond recognizing himself. He couldn't blame his buddy for his aggravation-he was obviously oblivious to the attentions she was earlier administering to his longtime best friend. He was obviously oblivious that he in turn was interested in who had now become a conquest.

He'd just have to let it roll like he did with everything else that concerned the redheaded Turk, and hope to find someone new.

What he didn't think he could handle however, was the primal play that initiated almost as soon as the doors slammed to his vehicle. Rude in the driver seat, he peered periodically toward the backseat, only to find what resembled a wrestling match, but involved much more slobbering than the average brawl. The aggravation toward the activities taking place in his car were beginning to cause a slow boil low in his gut that made him want to pull over and kick them both out in the middle of the street. Despite the battle within, his outward façade portrayed perfect professional blankness. It was as if he were playing chauffeur to the pair tangled in each others' limbs. He suddenly wished there was a thick pane of tinted glass so he couldn't see nor hear the guttural activities behind him.

If Reno just didn't talk to him…

"Hey Rude…think you could step on the gas, grandpa? I'm dying over here…"

Rude was a master at concealing emotion, at shielding his true thoughts from anyone attempting to bulldoze through the walls around his mind and divulge information from the gray matter. He was able to keep a clear head and carefully sort through a situation before making any sort of action or reaction that might earn any undesirable repercussions.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was the manifesting emotions that were building year upon year that were finally coming to a head. Perhaps Reno was just stomping on his last good nerve. But whatever the reason, there was nothing that was able to stop his next action…

He twitched.

It was subtle, one that could be mistaken for a cold chill from any other individual, but from a being like Rude, it was the mark of impending doom.

Reno wasn't sure if he saw the twitch, or felt the sensation reverberate through his bones like a crackle of lightning from a brewing storm. Whichever it was, it caught his attention.

They were stopped at a red light, him and his lady breathing heavily from anticipation. A thin layer of perspiration drenched both participants as the redhead sat up from his position on top of the female. Her expression was curious and disappointed, sitting up with him. A cunning smile spread over the Turk's visage…

…just before he shoved her flat on her back out of the vehicle into traffic.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she bellowed from the gravel just as the door was slammed shut from the inside.

"Sorry babe, I ain't in the mood anymore," he shouted to her through the window as he made sure to lock the door with an extremely devious smirk, "hope you got a vibrator at home to make up for our abrupt parting. Take care now."

The light turned green, and the vehicle moved, but even Rude couldn't hide the transformation his normally stoic expression held to surprised. Part of him wanted to help her back into the car, just to be a gentleman. But the larger part made him keep driving, even as he watched her stomp around like an angry, humiliated teenager. His eyes behind his glasses were slightly widened as his lips were slack with the shock of the turn of events. He didn't trust his voice, and he didn't have to.

"I know what you're thinkin' Rude," Reno said with a smirk, leaning back in the seat with his ankle placed upon his knee, his arms laid across the back, "You're thinking, 'Reno, what did you do that for?' My friend, the answer is a very simple one…"

For a moment, Reno 's normally sarcastic, playful expression altered into something much more serious. Even the aura about him changed for such a short instant, anyone else wouldn't have paid much notice. Rude did-Rude noticed everything when it came to Reno Tarshil, "Pussy isn't worth getting my ass kicked by my wingman." After that, he grinned, "Besides, you deserve better than that." He took in a deep, revitalizing breath, his system sobering as he closed his eyes, "Now take us home, Geeves."

Reno didn't see, but for a brief flash in time, there was a genuine smile that reflected back at the lounging Turk through the rearview mirror.


End file.
